A Framework for Performance Evaluation of Network Function Virtualisation in 5G Networks

Abstract

Fifth Generation of Mobile Communication (5G) integrates the use of telecommunication and computer systems. As virtualisation eases the deployment of new functionalities demanded by many industrial and social use cases, also show many research challenges regarding performance and resource optimisation. In the 5G architecture, while mobile networks are already trying to implement a full virtualisation of hardware resources, the core itself lacks of an integrated performance evaluation proposal. In this paper we propose a performance evaluation framework, based on an evaluation function and an assortment of distributed observation functions acting as monitors for compute nodes in a virtualised. infrastructure. The framework, unlike previous proposals, is designed to be integrated into 5G as a native service. The framework was evaluated in a Ultra-Reliable and Low Latency Communications (URLLC) scenario and the results show success in monitoring and analysing a Network Function Virtualisation (NFV) environment with a standard 5G NFV implementation.